parkhigh

hi everyone
i have a permeant resident visa (137) in my passport dated entry by 11 may 2005 and must not arrive after 7 july 2009. multiple travel.

we became aus citizens last May but i have not ordered a passport as with five of us it was an expense which we can ill afford as hubby is mature apprentice and im a nurse 2 days a week.

At the weekend I received a phonecall to advise me that my grandfather has died and i am going to the uk on sat for 6 days for his funeral. Flight centre etc have said all is ok when i booked the flight but a friend at school has said i need 6 months on my visa to return to oz is this true and what do i do now?
im hoping that all is ok and if i take my citizenship papers that will be sufficient to let me in.
Hope someone is able to help with this query.
Thanks
irene

sasbear

[QUOTE=parkhigh;7273107]hi everyone
i have a permeant resident visa (137) in my passport dated entry by 11 may 2005 and must not arrive after 7 july 2009. multiple travel.

we became aus citizens last May but i have not ordered a passport as with five of us it was an expense which we can ill afford as hubby is mature apprentice and im a nurse 2 days a week.

At the weekend I received a phonecall to advise me that my grandfather has died and i am going to the uk on sat for 6 days for his funeral. Flight centre etc have said all is ok when i booked the flight but a friend at school has said i need 6 months on my visa to return to oz is this true and what do i do now?
im hoping that all is ok and if i take my citizenship papers that will be sufficient to let me in.
Hope someone is able to help with this query.


If you are now a citizen without an Oz passport I would suggest you either get a passport quickly or travel with your citizenship certificate.

I was stopped on re-entry as I didn't have a passport - luckliy I had applied for one but it had not arrived before my travel date.

comet555

Your visa is technically no good anymore because you have citizenship now.

So you'll have to carry your citizenship certificate with you, plus passport of course, although the visa sticker won't do you any good.

I would see if you can arrange an emergency passport so you can travel on that instead.

parkhigh

Hi I have just rang immigration and they checked my passport and have said im ok to travel as long as i return before july 2009. im only out for 6 days and she said its fine. i have taken down her details and will take citizenship papers with me so praying all will be well. i also have death cert, will and details that im executor so hopefully thta will be sufficient.

sasbear

Yeah that should be all good - sorry to hear about your bereavement.

moneypenny20

Whilst there is still time left on your visa, once you have citizenship the visa becomes a RRV. If you don't want to take the original certificate, you can get a copy certified and take that. When you come back in to the country, make sure you explain to the customs person why you haven't got the passport, they will probably take you to one side just to see the certificate, copy it for their records and away you go. I've written this in more detail in the Things to Do/Useful Stuff thread at the top of the Aus Forum.

My sympathies for your loss.

parkhigh

hi
thanks very much for your replies i shall look at your thread. thanks a great relief to be honest i didnt even think about my visa.....im so settled here obviously
Irene